What Are Rent-Stabilized Apartments? Find and Verify Affordable Housing

A rent-stabilized apartment is a rental home where the government limits how much the landlord can raise the rent.

Because rent increases are capped, tenants usually get more predictable housing costs and are better protected from sudden rent jumps that could force them to move.

With rent stabilization, a local government or rent board sets a maximum allowed rent increase each year. The allowed increase is often tied to economic measures like the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or other cost-of-living factors.

Rent increases are commonly in the range of 2% to 10%, depending on the location and the year.

Rent stabilization programs are usually managed by a government office, and some places provide online tools or forms where tenants can check whether a unit is covered by rent stabilization.
 

How to Tell if Your Apartment Is Rent-Stabilized

Start by checking the rules in your state and city, because rent stabilization is not available everywhere.

According to the information you provided, only a limited number of places have rent stabilization laws or other rent protection policies. These include:
 

• California
• District of Columbia
• Maine
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• Oregon

If you live in a place with rent stabilization, you can usually request your apartment’s rent history from the local agency in charge of rent regulation. In many cases, only the current tenant can request this. The rent history may show:
 

• Whether the apartment is rent-stabilized
• The maximum legal rent

Examples mentioned in your text:
 

• New York City: You can contact NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).
• Los Angeles: You can check coverage using the County Rent Registry.

 

How to Find Rent-Stabilized Apartments

Finding these apartments can take extra effort, but these steps can help:

1. Look for older apartment buildings

Rent stabilization often applies to older buildings—for example, buildings with six or more units built before a certain date. The cutoff date differs by location, so check local rules.

2. Use online rental listings

Search in areas where rent stabilization is more common, especially dense urban areas with high housing costs. Some rental websites may offer filters, and in some cities there are tools specifically for finding rent-stabilized options.

3. Confirm the apartment’s status

If you find a unit that seems likely to be stabilized, contact the building’s management office and ask directly whether the unit is rent-stabilized.

4. Consider other affordable housing options

If your state doesn’t offer rent stabilization, you can look into programs like housing choice vouchers, which can also help lower housing costs.
 

Final Takeaway

Rent-stabilized apartments can offer more stable rent costs and, in some places, stronger tenant protections. However, the rules and availability vary a lot depending on the city and state.

If you think your apartment might be rent-stabilized—or you want to find one—check your local laws, use official tools where available, and ask property managers to confirm a unit’s status.

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